The present invention relates to composite fabrication and, more particularly, to a double chamber vacuum resin transfer molding scheme having applications in the fabrication of fiber reinforced polymer, ceramic matrix, and carbon-carbon composites.
A number of different resin transfer molding processes are described in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,385, teaches a resin transfer molding process wherein the reinforcing material or preform is degassed in an uncompressed condition prior to impregnation of the material with the resin. A different method of fabricating a composite structure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,646, wherein is disclosed a specialized approach for fabricating long and narrow composite structures using fiber/matrix and foam materials. Despite the efforts evident in the teachings of these and other patent documents, there is a continuing need in the fiber reinforced composite industry for versatile, effective, and low cost methods for fabricating fiber reinforced composites.